Typically, work vehicles, such as tractors and other agricultural vehicles, include an exhaust treatment system for controlling engine emissions. As is generally understood, exhaust treatment systems for work vehicles often include a DOC system or module in fluid communication with a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system or module. The DOC module generally includes a cylindrical housing containing one or more catalysts configured to oxidize carbon monoxide and unburnt hydrocarbons contained within the engine exhaust. The DOC housing may also define a mixing chamber for mixing an exhaust reductant, such as a diesel engine fluid (DEF) reductant or any other suitable urea-based fluid, into the engine exhaust. For instance, the exhaust reductant is often pumped from a reductant tank mounted on and/or within the vehicle and injected onto the mixing chamber to mix the reductant with the engine exhaust. The resulting mixture may then be supplied to the SCR module to allow the reductant to be reacted with a catalyst in order to reduce the amount of nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions contained within the engine exhaust.
The DOC module must typically be mounted as close as possible to the engine to allow for minimal heat loss as the engine exhaust flows from the engine to the DOC module. However, the DOC module is often quite large, thereby making it difficult to mount the housing within the small amount of open space available within the vehicle's under-hood compartment. As a result, DOC-specific mounting assemblies have been developed that allow the DOC module to be mounted under the hood adjacent to the engine. Unfortunately, conventional mounting assemblies for DOC modules are often complex and/or difficult to assemble, thereby significantly increasing assembly times at the associated vehicle manufacturing plant. In addition, such mounting assemblies are typically configured to only support the DOC module and, thus, do not provide for the most efficient mounting solution given the limited storage space available within the vehicle's under-hood compartment.
Accordingly, a hood support assembly for a work vehicle that supports not only the vehicle's hood but also accommodates various under-hood components of the work vehicle, including the DOC module and/or any other suitable exhaust treatment component(s), would be welcomed in the technology.